When you lose your baby to stillbirth or miscarriage, it feels like the ground has fallen out from underneath you. Speaking from experience, Jackie Gibson reaches out, offering the only balm that will bring comfort to your pain.
Grieving the loss of a child to stillbirth can be a lonely and agonizing experience. Sadly, this overwhelming loss is far more common than one may think, affecting around 1 in 160 births. Gibson honestly acknowledges the sorrow, the loneliness, and fears that come from suffering the loss of a child while pointing to the gospel with gentleness and understanding.
You Are Still a Mother weaves Scripture and deep truths about God with Jackie's personal experience to provide a book that is both honest and full of hope. Acknowledging that all who suffer this loss will never be the same, she reassures readers that God will be present through every moment of every day.
You are Still a Mother by Jackie Gibson tells the story of loss and heartache in The Moon Is Always Round from her unique perspective as a mom.
"This beautiful book captures both the profound devastation of losing a child through stillbirth or miscarriage, as well as the profound hope in God that is available in the midst of loss. It is a terrible thing to go through a pregnancy with all its anticipation and then to have empty arms. This book provides caring companionship and hope for healing for those who face this complicated grief."
Nancy Guthrie, Author of Hearing Jesus Speak into Your Sorrow
"This is the story of Jackie Gibson and of Leila, her beloved stillborn daughter. It is heartrendingly honest but also profound. And the hands that composed these sentences while drenched in tears also carry keys that open doors of hope. While written especially for Jackie Gibson's sisters in sorrow, You Are Still a Mother is a gift to the whole church."
Sinclair Ferguson, Preaching Associate, Trinity Church, Aberdeen; author of The Whole Christ
"In You Are Still a Mother, Jackie Gibson gently connects the grieving heart of a mother-to-be and the sympathizing heart of the Lord Jesus Christ. This beautiful little book ministered to my wife and me and we will be using it to minister to others. Thank you, Jackie."
Dane Ortlund, Senior Pastor, Naperville Presbyterian Church; author of Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers
"The pain a mother experiences is like none other. It is the personal pain of loss, the pain for the little one you loved before meeting them, and the loss of a relationship before you've ever had the chance to enjoy it. Jackie has taken her heartbreak and has used it to bring words of consolation and life to those in need. Be deeply comforted by her reminder that the Lord is good, even in the midst of suffering. He will sustain you."
Julie Lowe, Christian Counselor, CCEF; author of Safeguards
"Losing a child is a peculiar grief. All griefs have their own way of breaking our souls, but to lose a child that you never met stays with you your whole life. As Jackie Gibson says, you go from the womb to the tomb, from life with all its promise to death with all its grief. And like Jesus's scars, the grief lingers. But like all things Christian, when we do them by faith, a peculiar resurrection is born in our hearts, because, Jesus is at work in all our deaths. The apostle Paul calls it a 'fellowship of his suffering.' Let Jackie guide you into that fellowship. This book is for everyone, not just those of us who've lost a child, because we all need to let our customized suffering draw us into Christ. We need that every day."
Paul Miller, Author of J-curve, A Praying Life, and A Praying Church
"You Are Still a Mother is not a book for only mothers suffering the loss of an infant; it is for all Christians, both men and women. In this beautiful book, Jackie exposes and remedies the uninformed lack of reverence for our God-given bodies that we can sometimes display at birth and death. I am now eighty years old, and Jackie's practical wisdom (learned through suffering) has deepened my understanding of the ways of God and has provided me with daily solace. This is a book to be read, reread, dog-eared, and read again!"
Barbara Hughes, Author of Disciplines of a Godly Woman
"Deeply personal and richly biblical, Jackie Gibson's book guides bereaved mothers to the Father of mercies, the Father of Christ. This is not a book about getting past grief, however. It is about walking with God by faith, even while empty arms ache for a missing child, and living in hope of glory."
Joel Beeke, President, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI
"This lovely book is proof that things beautiful can grow from sorrows unspeakable. Jackie Gibson has found a way of lending her story of loss to others lost in darkness and overcome with grief in a way that shines light on the path ahead. In communion with others who have suffered in similar ways, with raw honesty but gentleness, with grace and elegant prose, she charts a journey of learning not to understand but to trust the One who does and who will never leave your side. These pages will be a balm to many, whatever your unique heartache, and they will point you to the goodness and love of God in a profoundly moving way. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!"
David Gibson, Minister, Trinity Church, Aberdeen; author of The Lord of Psalm 23
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I don’t know that I would have been ready to read this book immediately after my miscarriage. I was never tempted to turn away from God, but I did have to be mad at him at first and get past the “completely broken and dysfunctional” phase before I could have many rational thoughts. But six months after my miscarriage, when my body was finally nearly healed, I was still struggling to function emotionally. I was the only one of my closest friends and relatives to ever lose a child, so even though they were sympathetic, I felt really alone - like I was a whole new species of human, and there was no one else like me. So when I came across this book, I brought it home. I typically read it one chapter at a time. It helped me to better process my experience. It validated my thoughts and feelings, made me feel more “normal” (ohhh, so I’m not the only one to think and feel xyz?), and helped me move forward. It also left me, as other readers have said, with a bit of hope. I recommend this book to anyone who has lost a pregnancy or newborn. Miscarriage blogs helped, too. And I recommend seeking out, even for just one conversation, other women in your church who have lost children. Being a member of this grief club sucks, but it’s essential to know you aren’t the only member.
One of my favorite books
I would recommend this to anyone who has lost a child or loves someone who has lost a child.
I’ve wanted to leave a review but hesitated because I couldn’t think of what to say that would do this book justice. The book tells one mother’s story, but the story belongs to so many others who have had a baby die in the womb or after birth. The writing is vulnerable and personal, yet meets the reader wherever they may be in their own experience. I loved how I was given truth from scripture, inspiration from literature, and companionship from well-earned experience… all things to hold onto for when you need encouragement later. I found it to be a warm guide for grief, gentle and helpful, but not instructive. (It’s a lovely, small book, too, so easy to gift to a friend.)
"You are Still a Mother" is a poignant journey through grief that had me reaching for tissues from the very first page. Jackie skillfully intertwines her own painful journey with a larger story of faith in Christ. The question, "What will we cling to in our darkest nights?" resonates powerfully, making this book a compelling read not just for grieving parents but for a broader audience. It extends its reach to friends, family, pastors, and counselors, offering solace and understanding. "You are Still a Mother" is an essential read for those grappling with the profound loss of a child and those seeking to offer genuine support.
It is often difficult to know what to say to a mother who is grieving the loss of an unborn baby; each woman's experience is unique and the sorrow hits each one in a different way. I've found that giving this book is a helpful and gentle way of supporting a friend who is grieving. Jackie speaks with empathy and compassion as a mother who has walked this road herself, pointing each grieving mom to a loving Savior and the hope found only in Him.
This book is a wonderful resource for any mother grieving the loss of her baby. The book comes from Gibson's personal experience, and is written in a way that invites other mothers to join her in grieving the loss of their own babies while clinging to the hope found in the Bible. This makes it highly relatable while also being sensitive to the unique situation surrounding each stillbirth or miscarriage. The chapters are short and easy to read, filled with empathy, understanding, and gentle encouragement. I have found it helpful personally, and have given it and recommended it to other mothers who have lost a precious little one. Would highly recommend.
In this heartfelt and honest book, Jackie Gibson reaches out to mothers who have lost a child due to stillbirth or miscarriage, and shares the comfort and love of God who is with them in their pain, and shares the story of the stillbirth of her daughter Leila. Each brief chapter brings a truth about God to the fore, in light of such loss. These include: cling to God’s truths, turn to Jesus, God is sovereign, the child is precious and safe in the arms of Jesus, and suffering makes us groan for our home in heaven. She also addresses other aspects of loss: you are still a mother, for motherhood begins at conception, and the pain and grief will change, but be aware of symptoms of trauma and stress. Gibson has carefully worded each short chapter to represent gospel truths with compassion and care. It is aimed at Christians, and could be read soon after a grief, or later.
The experience of miscarriage or stillbirth is more common than you expected. However, this experience is like a taboo in church or family. The mothers who suffer from miscarriage or stillbirth do not know where to seek help. Therefore, Jackie’s book “You Are Still a Mother” is a blessing for us. How do we keep believing in God when there seems no light? I really appreciate what she says, “My friend's text with Deuteronomy 33:27 encouraged me to keep believing in the darkness what I had seen in the light, even when-especially when-it didn't feel true. God's arms were underneath me every moment of every dark day. His arms held me. They will hold you too.”(13) Also, she shares that the sufferers need a person who can be a companion of them. And then she points to Christ,Emmanuel-God with us.
You Are Still A Mother is the debut title by author Jackie Gibson. The book’s title is derived from the eponymous article Jackie wrote for Desiring God and expands on her experience of infertility and miscarriage. After experiencing a miscarriage in 2021, I was apprehensive about reading this book but I’m so glad that I did. Jackie’s story is incredibly painful in that she experienced a miscarriage late in her pregnancy with her daughter Leila and that pregnancy had come after experiencing secondary infertility. Her story is unique and her faith is inspiring. I’m thankful for her vulnerability in sharing her story and God’s faithfulness to her and her husband in that dark season. I believe other women will read You Are Still A Mother and know that they too can walk through the valley of the shadow of death and grow their hope in God, not lose it. The book is only 77 pages making it an easy read for those who are grieving. In addition to sharing her story, Jackie also helps readers understand why some things commonly spoken to grieving parents, while true, may not be helpful at the moment. You Are Still A Mother also addresses things like trauma in the body and the anxiety grieving parents may feel around their living children. This is something I experienced but didn’t realize it was common to grieving parents. I’m thankful it was mentioned because grief feels very lonely and I believe reading this part of Jackie’s story will help other parents feel less alone. For me, it is easy to read stories like Jackie’s and feel like my miscarriage, which occurred just shy of 6 weeks hardly counts so I appreciated Jackie reaffirming that regardless of when your loss occurred, your baby is still precious to the Lord and safe in the arms of Jesus. Jackie writes as a sister and friend who has been there and understands what grieving mothers are experiencing. Her tone is tender and her words convey the perfect balance of truth and love. You Are Still A Mother is full of biblical counsel and constantly reminds readers of the hope of heaven. I have some miscarriage resources I keep on hand to give out to others who are experiencing miscarriages and I will certainly be adding You Are Still A Mother to that mix. This is a very helpful and much needed book and I’m pleased to give it my highest recommendation.
